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Image posted by Rob Hunter
Submitted on Wednesday, 19th August 2020
With picture contributions to 338 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (16 more images)
Detail Pages
Rain Bar, Manchester
Manchester
M1 5JG
Served areas

Reviews of Rain Bar (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about Rain Bar
I visited Rain Bar on Tuesday evening last week when the pub was reasonably quiet. There are three steps up to the entrance and to the left is a small seating room with fireplace, that was not on. To the right of the entrance is the main seating area with a U-shaped bar projecting from the right hand wall. Along the front windows are high tables and along the rear are standard tables. In the front left corner is a sunken snug and some stairs leading up were roped off. The toilets are located downstairs. The bar supports four handpumps, one was unused and the other three were drawing JW Lees ales. There are also standard and premium keg selections. I decided to eat so ordered a large fish and chips with my pint, which came to just over £17. The food was very disappointing and definitely not worth the money.
Out the back is a canal side beer garden that I imagine is very popular during the summer months. I found the service to be friendly and the atmosphere was OK for a city centre pub on a week night, so I would return for another beer, but I’ll certainly not be eating here again.
On 15th February 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3948 recommendations about 3925 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about Rain Bar
Currently closed until further notice according to a sign in the window. However the web site offers a glimmer of hope, advising they plan to reopen on 2nd September. This is a fairly large pub with a big outside area to the rear, so I imagine this will be one of the more viable pubs to open with social distancing guidelines in place.
On 19th August 2020
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 678 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Rain Bar
This is a interesting old building, apparently John Willie Lees' flagship pub, the name Rain Bar does not reflect the regular Manchester weather but due to the pub once being an umbrella factory. A central bar with the boarded room wrapping around either side, some high tables towards the frontage and better booth type options to the rear. Down a few steps at the back is a partly separated area and the front corner has a snug which has a fire going and a picture above of some young bloke who looked rather unsettling to me.
Possibly the best seats are outside, a tiered area overlooks the Rochdale canal, I visited on an unseasonal sunny Manchester early lunchtime, it was a splendid spot to sit.
Lots of exposed brickwork, old beamed and unboarded ceiling.
JW Lees beers, Bitter, MPA, The Governer and Drayman's Reward. Food served, I was in early doors on Friday, lots of groups were ordering food already around 12. A nice well appointed spot, bet it is heaving at night.
On 15th November 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1695 recommendations about 1669 pubs]
View more reviews of Rain Bar (9)
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- Official site of Rain Bar - www.rain-bar.co.uk
- Facebook - Rain Bar
- Twitter - Rain Bar
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Rain Bar - whatpub.com
Deansgate, 0.34 miles, 6 min walk (show)
Manchester Piccadilly, 0.8 miles, 15 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Function Room : Yes - According to Twitter - last updated 21 July 2015 by Dave McNally
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 07 August 2013 by David McNally
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- WiFi : Yes last updated 07 August 2013 by David McNally